Easter

I Have Seen the Lord

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 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. John 20:18 ESV

Lent is a forty day period beginning on Ash Wednesday and depending on your tradition ending either on the Wednesday before Easter or Holy Saturday (for those who don’t count Sundays). Some people choose to fast certain foods or commit to special acts of service, during these weeks. However we choose to honor the season, the most important thing is for to focus our eyes on Jesus.

I Have Seen the Lord

Beginning with the events surrounding the raising of Lazarus from the dead in Bethany till Easter morning, these daily readings roughly follow the final forty days of Jesus’ life. Each day begins with a verse and ends with either a question to ponder or a promise to remember. If we come to each new morning with an open heart and prayer, then Jesus will speak to us and show us His way for the day.

I Have Seen the Lord!

You can find either e-book or softcover available on Amazon or you can follow the link to take you directly to the page.

Getting Ready for Easter

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In preparation for Easter some of us choose to separate the 40 plus days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday as a time to refocus our spiritual lives. While there is neither a command in scripture nor a New Testament example, it can still be a valuable time of both repentance and renewal. We certainly can enter into this season in the same way that Paul instructs us to prepare our hearts to receive the Lord’s supper.

Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For all who eat and drink without discerning the body,[i] eat and drink judgment against themselves.       1 Corinthians 11:28-29

Some of us love devotional guides as a supplement to our daily Bible reading. This year I am offering a large print edition for those who like me appreciate a larger font. I hope this may be a blessing to you as with God’s help each of us prepares our hearts for Him.

Easter Reflections – This 46 day Lenten devotional is now in large print. In addition the readings have been re-edited both in content and to conform to the dates for 2019. Easter Reflections is available in both print and E-book format on Amazon.

Easter Reflections

Easter Reflections

 

 

My Easter Miracle – Part Two

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How Easter Found Me

How in the world I ended up 3,000 miles from home was a tangle of events ranging from a broken home where my parents seemed to me as confused as I was. Adding in plenty of recreational drug use and my decision at 17 to move out on my own and you might begin to get the picture of how I ended up sitting in that pew owning nothing more than a guitar and two changes of clothing in a back pack.

adult adventure backpack daylight

Photo by Lucas Allmann on Pexels.com

The church service began with some happy singing and clapping. That was definitely something I had missed at the Lutheran and Congregational churches my parents had brought me on occasion.

Once the singing ended the pastor gave a message but the words of his sermon really weren’t what connected with my heart. What really penetrated was the love that I felt all day from the people around me. Here were folks who seemed genuinely concerned, not just looking for some angle to get something out of me. When I had traveled through California I had met others who had told me about Jesus. Some even invited me to church but I was afraid to commit myself. It all seemed strange and though the idea of believing in Jesus was appealing, it also seemed like too simple of a solution. Could finding the most important thing in life really be so easy? It would take a miracle to break through all my fears and excuses and regrets.  But it was Easter and on Easter miracles happen.  Continue reading →